~ politics for the people

News in brief: Corbyn calls for Labour leadership voting rule change

Jeremy Corbyn told a rally in Milton Keynes Labour’s new members could sweep the party to power [Image: PA].

If he wins the leadership election (and he will – comfortably), Jeremy Corbyn will have effective control of Labour’s ruling National Executive Committee and will be able to introduce any democratic changes he wants.

It seems he is putting this suggestion in the public domain to ensure it has the support of Labour’s wider membership.

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has called for the party to consider its rules and ensure all members can vote in future leadership contests.

He described Friday’s Court of Appeal ruling – which excluded 130,000 new members from voting in the party’s leadership contest – as “very sad”.

He also told critics to “get on board” and “take the fight to the Tories”.

[He added:] “After all this is over we have got to look at those rules to make sure everyone gets a right to a democratic vote.”

Allowing untramelled power to be exercised by a wise leader is all very well but what happens when the leader changes to one not so wise and/or possibly one that might be dictatorial or tyrannical in nature?
“Power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely” (Lord Acton).
I wish Jeremy Corbyn all the very best but it should be the power of party democracy which empowers him, not rule changes that allow any future leader to create an indefinite party monarchy.

It is the power of party democracy which empowers him.
Labour Party members have voted the Corbyn-supporting Centre-Left Grassroots Alliance members onto the NEC. That’s why he’ll be able to change the rules – if they agree to it – to a more democratic model.